


No Fairytale

by vampiregirl93



Series: Complicated [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2019-03-10 17:13:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13506090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampiregirl93/pseuds/vampiregirl93
Summary: When your step father is the so called "King" of a community that calls itself "the Kingdom", you should try your hardest not to allow the knowledge to cause you to become naïve.One thing Liana must remember, especially in the new world with the dead walking:Living in the Kingdom doesn't make it a real fairytale.





	1. Chapter 1

Liana stood in front of Ezekiel, trying to figure out what had made him decide to do such a thing without telling the people of the group he was leading.

"Did you even think about them," she asked, "about what would happen if this went sour on us?" She watched him, sitting upon his throne as he stared back at her without saying a single word. "You plan to keep this from them, don't you? You don't plan to let anyone else know about this deal."

"Just a select few know, Liana," he said finally, standing to his feet and walking down off of the stage he'd been seated. Watching Liana, waiting for her to lash out for what he'd chosen to do. "I'm doing this for the people of the Kingdom, Liana. I'm doing this for them."

"Don't expect my approval," she said with a shake of her head before walking out of the room.

"Good morning, Princess Liana," one woman said as she passed her.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Liana?" Liana said with a smile, "Not Princess Liana."

"I'll try and remember that next time," she said with a laugh and a wave as she walked away from Liana who'd stopped to stand in the middle of the pathway the people of the Kingdom had made upon settling there in that community.

She just stood there, thinking about her place in the Kingdom. If it wasn't for Ezekiel, she wouldn't be there, wouldn't be the people's so call princess like he was their king.

Ezekiel had married her mother back when she was just a child, treated her as if she was his biological daughter. And he was the father she never got to have. But then cancer took her mother from her when she was just 15 years old. Ezekiel went to the family court when they tried to take her away from him, and he won custody of her. And she's been with him ever since. She's 25 now. And he's the only family she has left in the hell of a world they live in now.

"Liana," his voice came towards her over the wind, snapping her from her thoughts. Looking over her shoulder, she watched as Ezekiel walked towards her. "I know you don't approve. And I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about the deal I made, but you have to understand I'm doing this to keep my people safe, our people."

She looked up at him and nodded silently her understanding. He gave her a pleased smile as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side.

Liana stayed in his arms for a moment longer before finally pulling away and turning to face him. "I'm going to go and get some practice in at the shooting range," she said with a small smile.

"You don't really need it, Liana," Ezekiel said as he laughed, "you're one of the best shooters here."

"Well I don't want to get rusty then do I," she asked with a laugh, the argument from before instantly being put to the back of her mind. She'd use the anger from it to help her shooting.

When she walked away from him, Liana made her way towards the area used specifically for bowmen. And women.

She grabbed her weapon of choice, a compound bow, and made her way to stand in front of one of the targets often used.

She looked down at the quiver of arrows placed at the end of the makeshift lane for the targets. Picking up an arrow, she knocked it and pulled it back against the string to the bow. Holding the stance and lining up her sight, she waited for just a hair of a second longer before releasing the bowstring and watching the arrow soar through the air before embedding itself into the target several feet away.

Continuing the pattern, she didn't stop until someone came and got her, informing her that it was time for dinner.

Returning the bow to where it'd been, she headed to her apartment to get changed for dinner before meeting with Ezekiel just outside of the dining hall.

"Did you get enough practice in," Ezekiel asked her as she greeted him where he stood.

"Yeah," she said with a nod, "and I feel a lot better since our argument." She looked down at her feet at that moment, thinking about what all had been said, before looking back up to him to see that he was staring down at her. "I'm sorry about what I said, I was angry. I know now that you're just trying to protect the people. And I'd like to request your approval to go with you, and whoever else you tell, when you make the drops for those people you agreed to trade with."

"You know it'll be dangerous," Ezekiel said in a whisper as they both entered the room where the others were all waiting to eat. They paused in their conversation just long enough for him to give approval to eat before he turned back to Liana. "A lot could go wrong with this stuff."

"I am aware," Liana said as she looked down at her plate of food, "but I want to be a part of this. I'm one of the best with a bow, you told me that. Let me do what I know how to do."

"Very well, Liana," Ezekiel said with a nod of his head, "the first delivery is due in just a few weeks. I've already got people out there looking for what has been requested for it." Ezekiel watched as Liana looked up at him with a nod before the two began to eat the food in front of them. A lot left on their minds about what was to come in the future for them. And for the Kingdom as well.


	2. Chapter 2

Daryl was thrown into the back of the van as Negan began packing up with his followers. He got one last glance at the bodies lying on the ground before the door was slammed just in his face.

He roared out his frustration as the van began to pull away. And as he felt it take him further away, he couldn’t hold back the tears as they began to slowly fall down his cheeks. He’d let her down. He’d let them all down.

When every emotion he was feeling finally left him, he collapsed against the side of the van and just sat there, waiting for whatever was going to happen to him now. He wanted to be with her, even if that meant going against his captors so that they’d have no choice but to kill him.

But he wanted to take that Dwight out with him. The man that took the one good thing that’d happened to him since the dead started walking.

Rick and the others jumped into action the minute the Saviors were out of sight.

“Hurry,” he shouted out as he slid on his knees to where the girl lay on the ground. She wouldn’t be coming back as one of the dead, not with that wound to her head. But he was more worried about something else entirely. “Carl! Where’s your knife?”

“Here, Dad,” the teenage boy said as he knelt down next to his father, handing over the knife that he needed.

Everyone watched with baited breath as Rick held the knife in both hands. He instantly remembers back when they’d been on the highway, back in Atlanta. He and Daryl had been in a somewhat similar situation. Only one thing was different. He was cutting into someone who’d been a part of his group. A part of his family. But it had been Daryl who had cut into that walker.

Taking a deep breath, steadying his shaking hands, Rick placed the tip of the knife at the top of the girl’s stomach. Putting a little pressure on the skin, the blade sunk in under the skin before he pulled it backward and down over the top of her stomach. He was careful, didn’t want to cut too deep. Carl reached forwards, rolling the top of her pants down slightly so that they were out of the way as his dad pulled the blade down to just above her pelvis.

The entire group surrounded them, watching as Carl moved to pull open the girl’s stomach while his dad kept the knife in hand. Once everything was out of the way, the girl’s uterus in view, Rick brought the knife down ever so carefully and cut a slit into the top.

Dropping the knife to the ground, he used both hands to tear the remainder of the uterine wall so that he could reach inside. Reaching inside, Rick felt the small head of the fetus before pulling it out as carefully, but as quickly, as he could.

Carl looked over his father’s shoulder, pulling off his flannel shirt as he watched him try to clear the airways of the infant.

“Hand her here,” Maggie said as she stumbled over to Rick when he seemed to panic.

Rick handed over the baby to Maggie as she held it to her shoulder, beginning to pat the baby’s back with enough force that wouldn’t hurt the baby but would help to get it to breathe on its own. This went on for a few moments more, Rick beginning to panic that they weren’t quick enough, when suddenly, a cry rang out from Maggie’s direction.

Several people gasped while Rick looked over at her, tears in his eyes. Carl moved closer to Maggie, handing her his shirt so that she could wrap the infant up in it to keep it warm. He then moved over to his dad, grabbing the knife from the ground and wiping it off on his pants leg.

“Here,” he said, holding the knife out to his dad. Rick looked up at him confused. “I know normally it’s the father who cuts the cord. At least that’s what she told me.” He looked down at the dead girl who now had her stomach cut open with the baby’s umbilical cord still connecting them together. “Daryl’s not here, so that leaves you.”

Rick stared at his son, wondering when he’d grown up so much. Nodding, he took the knife from Carl before taking the cord into his hand. With a sawing motion, he cut through the baby’s cord, severing her tie with her mother.

“Do you want to hold her,” Maggie asked, motioning to hand Rick the baby.

“No,” he said with a shake of his head, “you need to get to the Hilltop. We need to get you there.”

“No,” Sasha said as she moved over to Maggie and Rick, “you and the others head back to Alexandria. Get them ready for what’s to come now. I’ll get Maggie and the baby to the Hilltop. And we’ll send someone to come get Abraham and Glenn.”

Rick looked towards Sasha before looking at Maggie as she held the newest life in her arms. He then looked around at everyone. He could see the tired looks on all of their faces. But, he could also see the awe in them at the sight of the newest baby. The newest baby with the red patch of hair on her head.

“No,” Rick said, “they’re our family too. We do this together.”

He motioned with his hands for the others. Eugene, Sasha, and Rosita grabbed Abraham, carrying him off. Aaron, Michonne, and Carl grabbed Glenn. Maggie stood there, baby in her arms, with tears falling as she watched her group, no, her family, carry them both away. Rick reached down and picked up the remaining member of the group, carrying her in his arms.

Rick looked to Maggie, nodding for her to lead the way. With a nod of her own, Maggie walked after the others, Rick following behind.


	3. Chapter 3

Liana was pacing back and forth in front of King Ezekiel. She was worried. A team that had gone out earlier that morning to scavenge for supplies had yet to return. And it was getting late.

“Let me go out there and look for them,” she said finally, stopping in front of Ezekiel as she looked up at him. He kept the same neutral look on his face as he stared down there at her.

“They will return,” he said, “you must be patient, Liana.”

“I’m not asking you as a citizen of the Kingdom,” Liana said, “I’m asking you as your daughter. Let me take a small group out to look for them. See why they were delayed.” Ezekiel continued to watch, Liana almost pleading with him to allow her to go. “Please.”

“Very well,” he finally said as a smile crossed her face, “saddle the horses and take a few out there to look and see. I want you to be back inside the wall before nightfall. Do I make myself clear, Liana?”

“Crystal,” she said with a bow before turning and running out of the room to gather her search party.

In record time, Liana had gathered a party of five others to help her search for the missing men that should’ve been back already.

Mounting onto her horse, she watched as the others, three men and two women, each mounted their own horses, before she led the way out of the Kingdom and in the general direction that their missing comrades should’ve gone in.

They weren’t too far out when there was the loud sound of the growls and groans that belonged to the dead. Liana looked over to one of the men who was riding beside her then looked back at the others. With a nod of her head, they set off in a gallop to find out if those dead ones were responsible for delaying their men.

When they rounded the corner, there was a woman leaning against a fence, watching the dead ones as they drew closer. “Go,” Liana ordered to her men while she quickly pulled up her hair, her sign that she was ready for battle. Pulling her bow off of her back, she knocked an arrow and aimed for one of the heads of the dead ones, hitting the target when she let it lose.

Liana watched as their missing men and a stranger appeared from the other side of the small clearing, helping to end the remaining corpses. Once everything settled down, Liana and her men surrounded the missing men and the pair of strangers. “We’ve been looking for you,” the man beside her said as he looked down from atop his horse, “Princess Liana here was getting worried about you two. Suggested we come out to look for you.”

“What’s your names,” Liana asked, moving her horse up so that she was closer to the stranger who was still on his feet.

“I’m Morgan,” the man said before motioning to the woman on the ground, “this is Carol. She needs help. Your men were helping us get back to your community, Princess Liana.”

“Call me Liana,” she said before looking to Carol, “looks like we showed up just in time.”

Morgan helped Carol up onto the back of one of the horses before following the group back to their community called the Kingdom.

Two days after arriving, and getting Carol treated for her gunshot wounds, Morgan had been sitting in her room and watching over her. Waiting for her to wake so that he could help her get back to Alexandria and check on the others. He was staring out the window when he finally heard Carol speak.

“How long have I been out,” she asked, looking over at him from where she lay.

“Two days,” he said with a nod. Morgan watched as she looked around the room she was in, trying to figure out where exactly it was the two of them were.

“Where are we,” Carol whispered out as she looked back to Morgan. She could tell they weren’t back in Alexandria. She really didn’t want to be back there anyway. She left to try and leave behind who she’d become. She didn’t want to kill anymore. She wanted away from it all.

“It would be better if I show you,” Morgan said as he stood to his feet, moving over to the wheelchair that’d been left in the room for when Carol woke up.

Liana sat in the old theater room with Ezekiel, their tiger Shiva, and Ezekiel’s right-hand man, Jerry. Other than Ezekiel, Liana was the only other person who could put a hand on the tiger without fearing that she would attack.

She was no longer wearing what she’d wear if she were outside of the walls of the Kingdom. Now she was in something that would make her seem like a true princess in the Kingdom. A blouse and flowy skirt were what she had on now. But under the skirt, she had on a pair of shorts so that she felt a bit more comfortable.

Liana was sitting on the floor, leaning against the tiger when she stirred, causing the young woman to sit up and look towards the entrance to the room.

There, coming down the aisle, was Morgan and a stunned Carol.

Liana tried to hide the small smile that was on her face at seeing the older woman’s reaction. She reached over and began to scratch Shiva’s neck to calm her down while Ezekiel had a word with the woman.

“She’s doing better, thanks to you and your people,” Morgan said as he looked at Carol and up to Ezekiel and Liana.

“Indeed,” Ezekiel said with a smile before looking to Liana, “when my daughter returned with blood on her, I worried that it was from her or one of our men. When she told me that it was from someone else, and they were seriously injured, I worried that we might not have got to you in time.”

Liana watched as Carol seemed confused by his use of the word daughter.

“He’s my stepfather,” Liana said with a smile, “married my mother when I was younger.”

Carol nodded before turning back to look at Ezekiel as he informed her of the ways of the Kingdom. Liana could help but try to hide her smile when she noticed the look on Carol’s face. She could tell that the woman thought he was crazy, or been knocked in the head one too many times when this all started. And if he wasn’t her family, hadn’t been there at the start, Liana’s sure she would’ve thought the same thing about the man beside her.


	4. Chapter 4

Daryl sat quietly in the corner of the small room he'd been placed in moments after arriving at the Sanctuary with the Saviors and Negan. He'd been stripped of his clothes, of his weapons, and tossed inside with the door slamming shut behind him.

He just sat there, bare ass naked like the day he was born.

His thoughts often drifted over to Rick and the others. To the baby, he'd never get to meet as it was taken from him all too soon. Same with her mother. He told himself he'd never shed another tear for the people of this world, not after Merle's death.

Daryl refused to look weak, especially in the eyes of these men. The men who'd taken his whole world from him.

He had no way of knowing what time of day it was, no windows in his cell to show him the sun.

He just knew when they'd feed him. Always once a day. Always some nasty ass shit brought to him by the jackass who took his girl and baby from him.

And then, the ringleader of this whole group paid him a visit. This shit-eating grin on his face as he stood in the doorway. He didn't have his bat, so Daryl figured he wasn't going to torture him with it. But he should've known better than to think he wasn't going to receive some sort of torture from this man.

Grin still in place, Negan tossed down three different things. A photograph. An ultrasound. A ring.

Once the items were on the ground next to Daryl, Negan pulled the door shut and left him to look at the new objects in his room.

Using the little bit of light that was coming from underneath the door, Daryl moved, reaching for the items. He picked up the picture first. It was a picture of him and the only woman he'd ever really loved. The mother of his child he'd never get. It had been taken without their permission when they weren't looking. They'd been sitting on the steps to their new home in Alexandria. They were looking at each other, talking. And he remembers what it was about. It was after they'd discussed the fact that she was pregnant.

Next, Daryl picked up the ultrasound. It was the last one they'd gotten before the Saviors started attacking more. It was the one they got when they found out what their baby was going to be. It was when it really sunk in that he was finally going to be a father.

Finally, his attention turned to the ring.

Picking it up, Daryl placed it in his palm as he stared down at it. He'd snatched it just before Dwight had snuck up on him. He was going to go back to Alexandria after he did what needed to be done, he was going to get out of his comfort zone, and he was going to ask his girl to marry him.

Daryl balled his fist up around the ring, looking up towards the ceiling of the cell. He could feel the burn from the tears that wanted to fall.

These were all memories of the girl he'd let down. Evidence of the promise he never kept that he'd made over a year ago to her.

Suddenly, his thoughts of sorrow and pity turned towards rage, hatred. The anger began to find a new direction to focus when one thing popped into his mind.

Because of Negan and his Saviors, and because he'd been too chicken-shit to do it sooner, Daryl realized he never got to tell her that he loved her.

She'd said it. Said it back in Atlanta. But he'd been too scared to tell her. Hell, he wasn't even sure of his feelings for her at that point, even after a year. Then weeks later, he asked her in his weakest moment, if she'd meant it when she had said it. Even then, he still didn't tell her. He was hurting over the loss of members of the group back to back.

But now, now he'd never be able to tell her how he felt.

He'd always live with that guilt until the day he died.

But, he was going to use this to his advantage. Use his rage to get back at Negan and the Saviors. Use his rage to get out of the Sanctuary and back to his group in Alexandria. He'd make sure that he used this to avenge her and their unborn child that never got the chance. He just had to bide his time. Wait it out and strike at the right moment.

Until then, his attention went back to the photograph while he waited.


	5. Chapter 5

Liana stood in her room. In front of the full length mirror that was placed in a corner. Staring at her reflection.

She was dressed in a simple sundress, fixing the skirt of it as she looked at herself.

She’d pulled her hair back into a high ponytail, attempting to make it fall neatly behind her as she got ready for the small party that was being thrown for one of the teenagers in the Kingdom that day.

The knock on her door brought her from her thoughts as she looking into the mirror towards the door, watching as Ezekiel opened it to peer in at her. “You look beautiful, Liana,” he said with a gentle smile as he looked at what she was wearing.

“Thank you,” she replied as she looked one last time at her reflection before turning to face him, “is it time to go?”

With a nod, Ezekiel held out his hand for her to take. Taking his hand before wrapping her arm through his, Liana followed him out of her room before heading down the hall and out the door to where the party was being held outside.

Everyone was already gathered, party already in full swing when Ezekiel and Liana joined them.

At the Sanctuary, Daryl had placed everything he planned on keeping with him into the small pocket that was inside the sweats he’d been given. It was silent out in the hallway, meaning Negan had left again with some of his Saviors.

Daryl found himself staring at the picture, staring at her face. He was still trying to come to terms with the fact that, because of Negan and Dwight, he’d never get to see her again. Never see her smile at everyone in Alexandria. Never see her interacting with her family again. Never help him with his bike again.

He was so lost in his thoughts about the love of his life, that he almost didn’t notice when a shadow appeared under the door from the small crack at the bottom.

Sitting up, he tucked the picture away before moving to watch what the person was going to do.

It was too earlier for someone to show up to feed him another dog food sandwich. And Negan wasn’t there. He didn’t get any other visitors other than that. That next second, a piece of paper was pushed under the door.

Picking it up, he read what was writing on one side before flipping it over and spying the key. He flipped it back over, reading the words once more. It was a trap. It had to be. Right? But he didn’t care. If he could get out, he was going to go and get the hell away from here. Going back to Alexandria would probably be a bad idea, not only for him, but for Rick and the others as well.

After getting a change of clothes, a shirt and a different pair of pants, Daryl stuffed the items that Negan had tossed at him into the pockets and made his way outside. He had to deal with a single guard. Taking the frustration out on him by beating his head in with a pipe, Daryl looked up to spot a familiar face staring back at him. Jesus.

Over in the Hilltop, Maggie was tending to the infant she’d arrived with. Enid had arrived sometime after she and Sasha had, and ever since she’s been helping Maggie with the baby.

Maggie was pacing the small trailer she and the other two had been staying in as she worked to get the baby to finally go down for her nap when Enid rushed into the trailer. Enid went to open her mouth to speak when she noticed Maggie holding the finally sleeping baby.

Maggie glanced to Enid, who motioned to follow her outside, and nodded.

After placing the baby down in the small make-shift crib that was in the room, Maggie turned and followed Enid out the door.

“What is it,” she asked as the door pulled shut behind her.

“There’s something you need to see at the front gate,” Enid said before grabbing her wrist and pulling her in the direction of the gate.

Maggie gave her a confused look as she followed behind. When her eyes lifted from the shorter girl in front of her to the gate as they drew closer, she pulled her hand from Enid’s grasp and came to a stop. There, at the gate, stood a familiar face she didn’t think she’d get to see again since that night when they both lost someone they loved.

Enid stopped when Maggie pulled away from her grasp, looking back to watch as she stared at the newcomer to the Hilltop. She smiled as Maggie moved around her, making her way quickly to the man, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a tight hug as he buried his head on her shoulder, trying to hide his tears over the loss of her husband and his girlfriend.

“I’ve got something you’re going to want to see, Daryl,” Maggie said with a smile as she pulled back and stared up at the red and watery eyes of the man who fell in love with her best friend.

Maggie grabbed Daryl’s hand, pulling him back towards her trailer and leading him inside.

Daryl gave her a confused look as he spotted the small crib in the room next to one of the beds inside. Maggie didn’t say a word, just let go of his hand and motioned with it to walk forwards. Looking back to the crib, Daryl slowly made his way to the edge and peered into it at the small being inside. The baby was sound asleep, laying on her back with her head turned to the side.

“That’s your daughter, Daryl,” Maggie said in a hushed voice as she came to stand next to the man. His blue eyes quickly turned to stare at Maggie, confusion clear in their depths. “You can thank Rick and Carl. They acted quickly and cut into her mother, pulling her out before she had a chance at dying and reanimating. They obviously didn’t know if it’d work, but they wanted to try. For you.” Maggie watched with a smile as Daryl looked back down at the sleeping infant. The sorrow returning to his face. “Do you want to hold her?”

Daryl glanced back to Maggie as she stepped up and picked up the baby who stirred at being moved but didn’t fully wake.

Carefully, Maggie turned to Daryl and handed the baby over to him, watching as he cradled her gently in his larger arms.

Daryl’s blue eyes watched the baby as he bounced her gently. Slowly, her eyes opened to reveal a pair of blue ones staring right back at him. “She looks just like her mother.”

“No, she looks like the both of you,” Maggie said, “half you, and half her mother.”

Daryl looked up at Maggie, seeing the small, gentle smile on her lips, before looking back down at the baby girl. His baby girl. His daughter. Bryce Alexandria Dixon.


	6. Chapter 6

Daryl was sat inside the trailer that obviously belonged to Maggie and whoever else was with her from Alexandria, holding his daughter in his arms and just staring at her. He saw more of her mother in her than he saw himself.

Outside, he heard Maggie call out to Enid and Sasha, obviously wanting them to see something.

Standing up and placing Bryce back in her crib carefully, Daryl slowly made his way out of the trailer and towards the front where the gate was and where he could hear talking between people. He looked back as Jesus started walking with him, going to see what the commotion was. Rounding the corner, Daryl spotted the familiar group of people. His people.

Rick was talking with Maggie, telling her that she was right about having to fight before he noticed the movement off to his right. Looking up, his eyes landed on the man who’d been taken from the group in their darkest hour.

Maggie moved, letting Rick walk past her as he made his way quickly over to where Daryl came to a stop.

Rick watched Daryl as he stared right back at him. His blue eyes were starting to water as he tried fighting off the tears that wanted to fall. The man in front of him had saved Bryce from having a fate similar to her mother’s. Finally, the damn broke as Daryl lowered his head and moved forwards, Rick wrapping him in a brotherly hug as the man rested his head on his shoulder. Daryl held on tightly to Rick, trying to keep the sob that was building from showing itself.

“Have you seen her yet,” Rick asked quietly as they slowly pulled apart.

“Yeah,” Daryl said with a single nod, “Maggie showed her to me when I got here.”

Rick nodded before turning to face his group of fighter. With a nod of his head, everyone began to fall into step behind him.

Carl ran to catch up to Daryl.

“Do you miss her,” Carl asked when the older man looked down at him. Daryl nodded once before looking back in front of him. He didn’t trust his voice to answer him verbally. “You have Bryce now. She’d want you to remember that.”

“I know,” Daryl said in a whisper as he glanced at Carl once more before moving to follow everyone into the main building in the Hilltop.

A decision had been made. The group from Alexandria was going to go around to the other communities that the Saviors were dealing with and rally them to help fight against the Saviors for their freedoms.

First stop, the Kingdom.

Liana had talked Ezekiel into allowing her to be on watch for the day, needing to be out with her own horse for a bit.

She and one other guard were seated on their horses as they kept watch, her enjoying the silence of being just on the outskirts of the Kingdom for a bit. At the sound of an approaching car, Liana shares a look with her guard duty partner before the pair rode off in the direction of the car they heard.

They come to a stop in front of a group of people, talking about something before Liana notices a familiar face.

“Hi, Jesus,” Liana said with a smile and a slight wave of her fingers.

“Liana,” Jesus said with a nod of his head towards her.

“Who’re your friends,” she asked as her eyes raked the group of people who were climbing out of the SUV that they had arrived in.

“This is Rick Grimes,” Jesus said as he looked towards the man he was speaking about. Liana gave a slight nod for him to continue when he looked back at her. “He’s the leader of a like-minded community. These are some of his people.” Jesus looked once again towards Rick and his group before focusing on Liana who was closest to him. “We’d like to request an audience with King Ezekiel.”

Liana looked down at the reigns in her hands before looking to Jesus with a smile.

“I’ll see what I can do,” she said with a nod, “follow us.” The group of newcomers followed behind Liana and the other guard as they led the way towards the gate of the Kingdom. Upon reaching the gate, Liana climbed down from her horse and passed the reigns over to the other guard before facing the group. “I’m afraid you’ll have to hand over your weapons before entering.”

“We only have two,” Rick said as he looked at his son before they both pulled out their own guns and handing them over to Liana’s waiting hands.

“Right this way,” Liana said with a smile before turning and calling out to the person watching the gate. Once the gate opened, Liana asked for the group to follow her inside where she walked towards the old theater building that her father used as his throne room. Standing outside, was Jerry. “These people request an audience with King Ezekiel.”

Jerry looked at the group standing behind her before nodding once to her and disappearing inside.

Rick looked around at their surroundings, taking in the sight of all the people that were a part of the community. It reminded him of a bigger Alexandria. He watched as the other guard who had been with the girl named Liana appeared, standing next to the girls as she stood near the doors to the building they were waiting outside of.

“Liana,” a man said from inside, “the king wishes to speak with you.”

Liana nodded before disappearing inside with him.

A few minutes after she went inside, another man walked out and looked at the group. “The king will see you now,” he said before turning and walking inside as the group of people from another community followed in behind him in silence.

Liana was up on the stage next to Ezekiel as the group entered the room. Her hand was resting on Shiva’s head when she noticed the look on the group’s faces when they spotted the massive tiger resting beside Ezekiel’s chair.

“My daughter tells me that you seek an audience with me,” Ezekiel said as the group came to a stop in front of him, their eyes still on the tiger. Rick was the first to recover when he heard Ezekiel speak and mention the word daughter.

“Perhaps I should have mentioned before,” Jesus said in a whisper to Rick as the man stared from the king to the girl petting the tiger, “the girl you met on the outskirts of the Kingdom was the princess and there is a tiger.”

Rick looked back to Jesus before turning back to Ezekiel and proposing his request for the Kingdom’s help in taking down the Saviors.


	7. Chapter 7

It was late in the evening when Liana went looking for Ezekiel. He had invited the group that arrived with Jesus to stay the night to give him time to contemplate the offer they’d presented to him.

She found him, in Benjamin’s little brother’s room, telling him a sort of story to help him sleep while his brother was out doing something beyond the gate. She stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame as she listened to what he had to say. It was when he was nearing the end of what he was saying when Benjamin himself finally showed up just outside the door beside her.

Liana smiled over at the boy before looking back to Ezekiel as he finished speaking.

“Free at last, free at last, thank God I’m free at last,” he spoke softly before turning in the seat he was in to spot the two by the door. He stood to his feet and walked out of the boy’s room before coming to a stop in front of the pair. He looked to Liana before looking to Benjamin. It was the boy who he spoke to first. “You missed supper. Where were you?”

“I went for a walk in the woods,” he said as he looked up at Ezekiel before glancing at his kid brother.

“You went out there alone,” Liana asked. She knew he was still training and was trying to help out the Kingdom with whatever he could. She listened to what he had to say before looking to Ezekiel. “I’m going to go on. I just wanted to see where you were at.”

“I’ll be heading that way shortly, Liana,” Ezekiel said with a nod of his head before looking back to Benjamin as Liana walked away.

When Ezekiel finally left Benjamin and headed towards Liana’s room that was just down the hall from his, he peered into the room to see her sitting on her bed and holding a framed picture in her hands.

“Is it the anniversary already,” he asked causing her to look up at him with a saddened look on her face.

“I’ve been writing down the days since the dead started walking and the official calendar ran out,” she said, “yes, it’s the anniversary.”

Ezekiel walked into his daughter’s room and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her into his arms as she buried her head into his shoulder. The anniversary was always hard on her, and after the rise of the dead, it got worse. She never said anything, but he knew that around the anniversary she would wander the halls here or even be up late with Shiva, drinking. He never said anything because he knew that was how she coped. She’d come to him when she was ready.

“Stay with me until I fall asleep,” she asked as she peered up at him.

“Of course,” he said with a gentle smile as she returned it before turning and setting her framed picture back in its spot on her end table.

_Liana stood next to Ezekiel, still dressed in black, staring at the freshly covered hole in the ground. Everyone else had already left after the service. But 15-year-old Liana couldn’t make herself move away from where they’d placed her mother in the ground._

_She glanced up at Ezekiel as he too stared at the ground. Neither saying a word._

_It was almost peaceful in the silence between the both of them. Even if they were in mourning._

_But that peace didn’t last. In that next second, a hand reached up from underneath the freshly turned earth, pulled up with it the body of what should have been Liana’s dead mother. Her brain couldn’t function correctly to tell her that what she was seeing was impossible to be her mother. Her mother was dead. She’d seen her die with her own eyes. Seen her lying motionless in the casket at the service._

_It was when the dead body reached Ezekiel, biting into him and tearing away flesh, that Liana registered what was going on around her and releasing a scream as she called out for Ezekiel._

Liana sat up in her bed, heart pounding as she looked around while trying to get her bearings.

It was just a nightmare. A really bad nightmare.

She glanced down at the small door that was on her end table, trying to fight the urge to open it and reach for the contents inside. It had been nearly a year since she’d last opened it. She didn’t want to open it again because of a dream. But the memory of that nightmare was still haunting her every thought and she just wanted to forget it.

Letting out a sigh, Liana reached inside and grabbed her secret stash of Jack Daniels that she kept hidden.

Climbing out of bed in nothing but the shorts and t-shirt she’d went to sleep in, Liana made her way towards the cage that Ezekiel kept Shiva in at night. The tiger had been asleep until she walked in, sitting up to peer at her as she walked over to the cage.

“Hey, Shiva,” Liana said in a soft voice as she crouched down next to the cage and placed her free hand inside to pet the tiger gently on the head.

Shiva began to chuff towards Liana, she could sense the discomfort in her. She wanted out of the confinement of her cage to comfort her human.

Liana smiled at Shiva, knowing that she wanted to try and help her out. That tiger cared for her and Ezekiel more than anyone would ever know. It was amazing how protective she was, especially over Liana. Letting out a sigh, Liana turned and moved to the wall closest to Shiva’s cage and sat down, leaning against the wall itself as she stared at where Shiva moved to, trying to get as close as possible to her.

Liana sat there, tipping the bottle back every so often as she stared off into space. Didn’t even flinch when she heard the sound of walking coming from off to the side.

Looking over, she potted one of the men that had arrived that day with Jesus.

She pulled her legs up closer to her as she watched him walk into the room. He had yet to notice her, his attention on the tiger in front of her.

“You’re name’s Daryl, right,” she asked as she gained his attention, “you arrived with that group that Jesus brought in to see my father.”

“Yeah,” he said gruffly, voice low as he took in her appearance. Old shirt, shorts, bottle of Jack in hand. “You look like shit.”

“Feel like it too,” she said with a smirk before holding up the bottle, “care to join me? Looks like you could use it.”

Daryl watched her for a moment, trying to figure the girl out before shrugging his shoulders and sat down next to her. He didn’t miss the tiger’s eyes on him as he took the bottle of Jack from her hand and turned it up.

Shiva let out another chuff before turning her head and resting it on her large paws as the pair sat in silence.

“You don’t look like no princess,” Daryl finally said after a few minutes.

“That’s cause I’m not,” she said, “and Ezekiel isn’t a king. It’s just something that happened after getting this community set up when the dead started walking.” Liana sat there for a minute before her attention turned to Daryl. “You look like you’ve been through hell and back. Share your life story, or at least what happened to cause you to look like hell, and I’ll share another bottle of Jack with you.”

“Not much to share,” Daryl said as he stared in the general direction of the tiger’s cage without really seeing it as he got lost in the memory, “it’s what being held prisoner by the Saviors will do to ya.”

“I hate those bastards,” Liana muttered as she took a long gulp from her bottle and passed it to Daryl, “it’s people like that, that come out of the woodworks when everything goes to shit. Yet Ezekiel played right into their hands and agreed to a deal that would hurt our people here.”

Daryl didn’t say a word. He knew what she was getting at.

Rick had tried his hardest to keep from agreeing to serve the Saviors. But that cost him three lives, nearly four. He’d lost Glenn, Abraham, his daughter. Nearly lost his granddaughter. But the quick thinking and action saved her from such a fate.

Daryl tipped back the bottle of Jack she’d handed him as he thought about how he nearly lost his daughter because of Negan. No, because of Dwight.

Returning the bottle to Liana, he sat back, staring at nothing until he saw her move out of the corner of his eye.

Looking over, Daryl watched as Liana sat the now empty bottle down on the ground before turning her eyes towards him. It remained silent between them, neither wishing to speak a word as all the thoughts of what the world had become and the hardships they had faced came to the forefront of their minds.

Finally, Liana acted first.

She moved until she was straddling the man’s lap, hands on his shoulder as he peered up at her while trying to figure out what she was doing. Fueled by the liquid courage, Liana leaned forward and placed her lips on his, her hands moving up to the sides of his face while his instantly went to her hips.


End file.
